³ Then ^(A)the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

¹⁷ for ^(A)God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and ^(B)handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

¹³ These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

^13 (A)It performs great signs, even ^(B)making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, ¹⁴ and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of^[a] the beast ^(C)it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast ^(D)that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not ^(E)worship the image of the beast ^(F)to be slain. ¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,^{[b] (G)}to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,

²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(A)the power of God and ^(B)the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers: ^(C)not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,^[a] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they ^(A)became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ^22 (B)Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and ^(C)exchanged the glory of ^(D)the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

²⁴ Therefore ^(E)God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to ^(F)the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for ^(G)a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, ^(H)who is blessed forever! Amen.

²⁶ For this reason ^(I)God gave them up to ^(J)dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷ and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, ^(K)men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, ^(L)God gave them up to ^(M)a debased mind to do ^(N)what ought not to be done.

³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, ^(A)“Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from ^(B)the sky?^[a]

Rescue the Weak and Needy

A Psalm of ^(A)Asaph.